Closure for containers



Jan. 4, 1938; B. F. cAHooN 2,104,413

CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Filed March 5, 1934 2 SPeefcs-Shegt l INVENTORATTORNEYS Jan. 4, 1938. B. F. CAHOON 2,104,413

CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Filed March 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.auqw

B as I TTORNEYS Patented Jan. 4, 1938 UNlTED STATES 2,104,413, cnosmu:FOR communes Brent F. Cahoon, Kew Gardens, N. Y., assignor to CaptiveClosures, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationMarch 5, 1934, Serial No. 714,009

9 Claims. (Cl. 215-43) This invention relates to closures forcontainers. Closures for bottles, cans, collapsible tubes and the likethat are held against complete removal are now known as captiveclosures. It is an object of the present invention toprovide an improvedclosure of the captive type. More particularly it is an object of theinvention to provide a closure'of the captive type such that the lockingmeans is inaccessible after the closure is'once assembled and such thatthe locking relation of the parts is efl'ected by the mere act ofassembling the cap on the receptacle.

With these general objects and others in view, the invention consists inthe features, combina tions, details of construction and arrangements ofparts that will first be described in connection with the accompanyingdrawings and then more particularly pointed out.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of part of a container and itsclosure constructed in accordance with the invention, the cap beingshown in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the cap in open position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view with certain parts broken away and the capnot yet in place;

Fig. 4% is a perspective View, with certain parts broken away, of amodification;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are similar to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 showing a furthermodification;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the parts removed; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional View (en- Iarged) of part of thecontainer shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, the invention in its entirety includes a capcapable of a guided axial movement on a container neck and a dischargeport in the cap that is open in one axial position of the cap and closedin another.

While the guided axial movement may be attained in various ways, it maybe conveniently accomplished by a threaded engagement between the capand the container. To this end, in the exemplification illustrated inFigs. 1-3 the neck ZG-of a bottle 2!! is provided with an externalthread 22. This thread is relatively short and is located on the lowerpart of the container neck. Telescoping the bottle neck is a cup-shapedcap 23 having an internal thread 24 meshing with thread 22 andconveniently formed of non-metallic molded material. The lower portionof the cap is fluted or knurled, as at 25, to facilitate turning thesame. At the bottom is a rib l9 which. serves to strengthen the lowerrim of the cap and so prevent breakage in removing the cap from themold.

While the discharge port and the port closing means may vary inconstruction and arrangement, in the embodiment illustrated as anexample in Figs. 1-3, at the center of the top of the cap is a conicaldischarge port or passage 26. Cooperating therewith is a conical valveelement or plug 27 capacitated to seat within the discharge port andclose the same. This plug is carried 10 by the container neck, either asan integral part thereof or as part of a separate attachment. The plugt? of the present embodiment is part of a separate attachmenthereinafter described in more detail. When the cap is screwed down toclosed position, plug 21 fits into port 28 and closes or seals the same(Fig. 1).. Upon upward movement of the cap, port 26 recedes from plug21!, thereby opening the port for discharge of the container contents(Fig. 2). 0

The invention in its entirety includes a locking abutment carried by thereceptacle neck and an upwardly facing stop shoulder on the inside ofthe cap and located below the locking abutment, the

locking abutment being flexible inwardly upon 03 the application ofdownward pressure but not upon the application of upward pressure.

While the locking abutment may vary in construction, it mayconveniently, take the form of a downwardly and outwardly flaringflange-like 30 element anchored at its upper and inner edge and free atits outer edge. In carrying out the invention to what is now consideredthe best advantage, the flange-like element is a terminal flange of anattachment secured to the container neck. The attachznent mayconveniently include a body portion and an inward V-shaped bend lockedunder a locking ring on the container, the lower leg of the Vconstituting the terminal locking flange referred to.

To this end, as shown as an example in Figs. 1-3, at the mouth of thebottle 21 is what is known in the glass industry as a locking ring 28,that is, a ring-like projection forming a downwardly facing shoulder onits under side. Such a ring is commonly provided on bottles for securingcrown corks and other caps. Telescoping the bottle mouth is the bodyportion 29 of an attachment preferably formed of metal. Below the bodyportion 29, which, in this instance, is a ring-like 54 part, is aninward bend 30 which takes under the shoulder of the locking ring 28.Extending inwardly from the 'top of body portion 28 is an inwardclamping flange 3| which overlaps the lip of the bottle. In the presentexempliflcation a seal- 55 ing gasket 32 is inserted between theclamping flange 3| and the bottle lip to prevent any leakage down insidethe attachment. It will now be apparent that the flange 3| and theinward bend 30 clamp-the attachment to the locking ring of,

the bottle. In the present instance the bend 33 is formed by spinning inthe metal of the attachment under the shoulder of the la cking ring.

From this inward bend; the wall of the attachment is bent outwardly anddownwardly, thus forming a roughly V-shaped bend. The lower leg 33 ofthe V flares outwardly and downwardly and constitutes a lockingabutment. This leg or flange 33, being free at its outer edge and 5anchored'at its inner edge, is adapted to flex inthe mouth of thebottle. From this end wall rises the hollow plug or valve element 21.The end wall portion 35 is provided with a plurality of apertures 36 forthepassage of the container contents.

The stop shoulder may also vary in construction. In the exempliflcationillustrated in Figs. 1-3, the inner wall of cap 23 is formed with aninternal bead or rib 31, providing an upwardly facing shoulder andlocated, after the cap is assembled in place, between the thread and thelocking flange 33, i. e. below the latter. The inner diametenof thisbead 31 is slightly less than the diameter of the bottom edge of flange33 when the latter is in normal position. Above bead 31 the cap wall isformed with a recess 38 to accommodate the flange 33 during opening andclosing movement of the cap.

In the initial assembly of the cap onto the bottle neck, the threadcrests 34 and the bead or rib 31 ratchet over the edge of the flange 33which yields or flexes inwardly upon the application of the pressurefrom above. Once the bead 31 has passed, the flange springs backapproximately to its initial and normal position under the inherentresiliency of the metal. Thereafter,

it serves as a locking abutment, cooperating with 'more force that isapplied in an attempt to move the cap upwardly, the more firmly is thecap locked against removal.

If desired, the flange 33 may be split, as at 4i (Fig. 3) to facilitateits flexibility.

The invention in its entirety includes means for providing a sealoutside the apertures 38 to prevent leakage down through the thread. Tothis end, as here shown as an example. the inner wall of the cap isformed with a downwardly facing shoulder 33 located above ledge 3|.Onthe i the attachment, once it is spun in place, comprises a skirthaving an inward bend and terminating in an outwardly flaring lockingflange. The invention in its entirety includes an attachment comprisinga locking flange that may be snapped into place without the necessity ofa spinning operation. This may be accomplished, for example, by a skirtpre-formed to have the inward bend and the flaring flange.

Such an embodiment of the invention is illustrated, by way of example,in Fig. .4. The attachment is generally like the one already described.That is, it comprises a ring-like body portion 43 telescoping the bottlemouth. Above this portion 43 is an inward clamping flange 44- and arelatively flat portion 45, the latter having a plurality of openings 46for the passage of the bottle contents. Rising from the flat portion 45is a conical valve element or plug 41 like plug 21-. Below body portion43 is an inwardly extending V-shaped bend like the ultimate spunin bendof Figs. 1-3 but in this instance the bend is preformed. Below this bendthe attachment terminates in an outwardly and downward flaring lockingflange 49 like flange 33.

To enable the attachment to be snapped onto the bottle, it is split, asat 50, at a number of points around its circumference, these splitsextending from the bottom edge of the locking flange through theV-shaped bend and well up into the body portion 43.

With this snap-on type of attachment, in carrying out the invention towhat is now considered the best advantage, the lip of the bottle, thatis, the upper surface of the locking ring, is rounded or slopeddownwardly. The bottle shown in Figs. 1-3 has a more or less flat lipbut this is by way of illustration only and with the type of attachmentthere shown the precise form of bottle lip is largely immaterial. Butwith the snapon type of attachment a rounded or sloping lip is advisablefor reasons that will appear hereinafter. For this purpose, the lockingring of the Glass Containers Association standard No. 225 has been foundsuitable. Such a locking ring is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 9, it beingunderstood that neither view is drawn to the exact scale of the G. C. A.dimensions. As shown more clearly in Fig. 9, the lip 52 of the bottle,that is, the upper surface of the locking ring, is curved or slopedoutwardly and downwardly and below this lip is a locking shoulder 53.

The cap shown in Fig. 4 is the same cap as the one illustrated anddescribed in connection with Figs. 1 and 3. The embodiment shown in Fig.4 has sealing gaskets corresponding to those above described.

With the snap-on type of attachment the assembly operation requires nospinning step and it is possible to assemble the parts with only asingle assembly operation on the bottle. This is considered advantageousin that as the container is normally filled before assembly of theclosure, the fewer and simpler the assembly operations, the better.

In assembling the closure, the attachment is flrst inserted in the cap,the locking-flange yielding to pass the rib 31. Once assembled. thefriciii tlon of the parts, particularly the fit o! the plug 41 in thedischarge port 28 of the cap, is sufilcient to hold the attachment inplace in the cap under normal handling. Then the assembled closure unitis assembled on the bottle. As the unit is applied to the bottle mouth,the pressure of the V-shapedbend against the lip of the bottle causesthe split skirt of the attachment to tend to straighten out, recess 38in the cap accommodating this displacement of the flange 49. That is,

the V of the bend widens out until the bend can slide down and over thecurved or sloped bottle lip to pass the edge thereof. After so passing,the inherent resiliency of the metal causes the skirt to return tonormal position, whereby the V-shaped bend snaps in under the shoulder53 of the locking ring, thus securing the attachment to the bottle.

While the above described method of assembly is considered advantageousfor various reasons, it m'ay be desirable in some cases to assembletheattachment and cap separately. In that case the attachment, withoutthe cap, is applied to the bottle mouth and snapped into place, theaction being the same as just described. Thereafter the cap is assembledin the manner described in connection with Figs. 1-3.

.Once the parts are assembled, the operation is the same as thatdescribed in'connection with Figs. 1-3.

in the case of certain containers, such as glass bottles, for example,it is impossible, or at least impractical, to have the plug formed asanintegral part of the container mouth. As this involves a separateattachment for the plug, it is found convenient, at least for certainpurposes,

' to form the locking flange as a part of the same attachment. In thetwo exempliflcations above described, therefore. the plug and thelocking flange are shown as integral parts of a single attachment. Insome instances, however, it may be desirable to provide a separateattachment for the locking flange. For example, a separate attachmentfor the locking flange may be provided in the case of collapsible tubes,the plug being conveniently formed as an integral part of the tube neck.Figs. 8 illustrate such an embodiment of the invention.

As there shown as an example, a collapsible tube M has an externallythreaded neck 62. The mouth of the tube is partially closed by an endwall iii provided with a plurality of ports 64 for the passage of thetube contents. Rising centrally from the end wall 63 and integraltherewith is a stem 65 terminating in a conical valve plug 66. On thetube neck is a cup-shaped cap 6? internally threaded to match the tubethread. In the top of the cap is a conicaldischarge port or passage 68adapted to be closed by plug 66.

The locking element for this type of container may conveniently be aflange like the flange already described and formed as a separateattachment. While this attachment may have various forms and be securedin place in various ways, it may advantageously be of the snap-on typealready described. To this end, as here shown as an example, the tubeneck, above the thread and below the upper end, is provided with anexternal bead 69 which will be here termed a locking ring as it isanalogous, for this purpose, to the locking ring at the mouth of abottle. The

locking ring here shown asan example has a profile generally like thelocking ring of the bottle shown in. Figs. 4 and 9.

The attachment of the present exemplification.

comprises a ring-like portion 1 l and an inwardly extending clampingflange 12 adapted to flt over the locking ring 69. Below ring-likeportion ll is an inward V-shaped bend I3 and an outwardly and downwardlyextending locking flange 14.

Like the attachment described in connection with operating with theflange 14 to prevent removal of the cap and above this rib is a recess16 like recess 38. The cap carries a sealing gasket 11 like gasket 40.In the closed position of the cap. gasket 1-! forms a seal by beingcompressed against flange E2 of the attachment.

As in the first instance described, during initial assembly of the capthe head 16 ratchets over locking flange H which yields and then springsback to place. The operation'of the parts is the same as in the case ofthe embodiment of Figs. 1-3.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the stem 55 is cut away, as at '18, to reducethe bulk thereof and effect an economy in metal. It is noted that thespace between the stem and the outer periphery of the receptacle neck isunobstructed, thus making it possible for a cutter to be applied to thestem.

In the exemplifications here shown and described, the severalattachments are annular. It will be understood that the invention is notlimited to annular locking flanges or anchoring portions. The desiredresult may be obtained by one or more segmental flanges and anchoringportions.

The invention has been described in connection with bottles andcollapsible tubes but it is to be understood that those terms are usedin an illustrative and not a limiting sense. It will be apparent,moreover, that the invention, in one form or another, is applicable tovarious kinds and types of containers.

With the constructions above described, the

act of the initial assembly of the cap on the container. Thelockingmeans, moreover, is inaccessible, once the parts are assembled, wherebyit cannot be tampered with except by a destruction of the cap itself.

What is claimed is: i

1. In combination with'a container having a neck, a cup-shaped captelescoping said neck and axially movable thereon, said cap having adischarge port, an apertured end wall between said discharge port andthe interior of the container, a locking ring on said neck, a permanentattachment on the container neck comprising a portion secured to. saidlocking ring and an outwardly and downwardly extending locking flange,an upwardly facing stop shoulder on the interior of said cap and locatedbelow said flange for engagement therewith upon a given upward movementof the cap to limit such movement, said flange being yieldable upon theapplication of pressure from above, thereby to permit the having acentrally located discharge port, a per-' manent attachment on thecontainer neck comprising a portion secured to said locking ring, acentral plug-like v'alve element for closing said port in one positionof the cap, and a downwardly and outwardly extending locking flange,said attachment having a plurality of apertures around the base oi. saidvalve element for the passage oi. the container contents, an upwardlyracing stop shoulder om the interior of said cap and located below saidflange for engaging the latter upon a given upwardvmovement of the capto limit such movement, said flange being flexible inwardly upon theapplication of pressure from above, thereby to permit the cap to beinitially assembled on the container neck.

3. In combination with a container having a neck, a locking ring belowthe mouth of said neck, a cup-shaped cap telescoping said neck andhaving an axial movement thereon, said cap having a centrally locateddischarge port, said neck having an integral and aperturedend wall, aplug-like valve element rising from and integral with said end wall forclosing said port in one position of the cap, a permanent attachment onsaid container neck comprising a portion secured to said locking ringand a downwardly and outwardly extending locking flange, and an upwardlyfacing stop shoulder on the interior oi said cap and located below saidflange for engaging the rim of the latter upon a given upward movementof the cap to limit such movement, said flange being flexible inwardlyupon the application of pressure from above, thereby to permit the capto be initially assembled on the container neck.

4. In combination with a container having a neck, a cup-shaped captelescoping said neck and axially movable thereon, said cap having adischarge port, a locking ring, having a downwardly facing shoulder, onsaid container neck,

a permanent attachment comprising a clamping flange for taking over theupper edge of said locking ring, a pre-formed bend for taking under saidshoulder, and an outwardly and downward- 1y extending locking flangeformed of flexible and resilient material, said attachment being splitto permit the same to be distorted in passingv over said locking ring,whereby the attachment may be assembled on the container neck with asnap-on action, an upwardly facing stop shoulder on the interior of saidcap for engagement with said locking flange upon a given upward movement01' the cap to limit such movement, 4

said locking flange being yieldable upon pressure from above. thereby topermit the cap to be initially assembled with respect to the attachment,and a valve element associated with the neck for closing said dischargeport in one position of the cap.

5. In combination with a container having a neck, a cup-shaped captelescoping said neck and axially movable thereon, said cap having aoch-,- trally located discharge port, a locking ring, having adownwardly facing shoulder, on said container neck, a permanentattachment comprising a clamping flangeior taking over the upper edge ofsaid locking ring, a V-shaped bead taking under said shoulder, the lowerleg of the V terminating in an outwardly and downwardly extendinglocking flange formed of flexible and resilient material, a verticalportion rising irom the inner edge of said clamping flange, theattachment being oflset inwardly from said vertical portion to provide arelatively flat annular portion, said last named portion being aperturedfor the passage of the container contents, and a hollow plug valverising from said apertured portion for closing said discharge port inone position of the cap, and an upwardly facing stop shoulder on theinterior of the cap and located below said locking flange for engagementtherewith upon a given upward movement of the cap to limit suchmovement.

6. In combination with a container having a neck, a cup-shaped captelescoping said neck and axially movable thereon, said cap having acentrally located discharge port and a downwardly facing inner shoulder,a locking ring on the container neck and having a downwardly facingshoulder, a permanent attachment comprising a clamping flange for takingover the upper edge of said locking ring, a V-shaped bend taking underthe locking ring shoulder, the lower leg of the V terminating in anoutwardly and downwardly extending locking flange formed of flexibe andresilient material, a vertical portion rising from the inner edge ofsaid clamping flange, the attachment being offset inwardly from saidvertical portion to provide a relatively flat annular portion, said lastnamed portion being apertured for the passage of the container contents,and a hollow plug valve rising from said apertured portion for closingsaid discharge port in one position of the cap, an upwardly facing stopshoulder on the interior of the cap and located below said .lockingflange for en- 'gagement therewith upon a given upward movement of thecap to limit such movement, a gasket interposed'between the containerlip and the clamping flange, and a gasket secured to the first mentionedcap shoulder and engaging the clamping flange when the cap is closed.

7. In combination with a container having a neck, a locking ringadjacent the container mouth, acup-shaped cap telescoping said neck andaxially movable thereon, said cap having a discharge passage, apermanent attachment on the container neck comprising a flange-likeportion overlapping the top of said locking ring, a V- shaped bendtaking under the shoulder of said locking ring, whereby the attachmentis clamped on the container neck, and an outwardly and downwardlyextending locking flange, an upwardly facing stop shoulder on theinterior of the cap and located below said locking flange for engagementtherewith upon upward movement of the cap to limit such movement, saidlocking flange being yieldable upon the application of pressure fromabove, thereby to permit the cap to be initially assembled with respectto the attachment, and a plug-like valve element associated with thecontainer for closing said disthe container neck comprising aflange-like portion overlapping the top of said locking ring, a V-shapedbend takingunder the shoulder of said locking ring, whereby theattachment is clamped on the container neck, and an outwardly anddownwardly extending locking flange, an upwardly facing stop shoulder onthe interior of the cap and located below said locking flange forengagement therewith upon upward movement of the cap to limit suchmovement, said locking flange being yieldable upon the application ofpressure from above, thereby to permit the cap to be initially assembledwith respect to the attachment, a plug-like valve element associatedwith the container for closing said discharge passage in one position ofthe cap, and a sealing discharge passage, a permanent attachment on thecontainer neck comprising a flange-like portion overlapping the top ofsaid locking ring, a V-shaped bend taking under the shoulder of saidlocking ring, whereby the attachment is clamped on the container neck,and an outwardly and downwardly extending locking flange, an upwardlyfacing stop shoulder on the interior of the cap and located below saidlocking flange for engagement therewith upon upward movement of the capto limit such movement, said locking flange being yieldable upon theapplication of pressure from above, thereby to permit the cap to beinitially assembled with respect to the attachment, a plug-like valveelement associated with the container for closing said discharge passagein one position of the cap, a shoulder on the cap overlying saidflange-like portion of the attachment, and a sealing gasket between suchshoulder and such flange-like portion.

BRENT F. CAHOON.

